The Experience of Nurses Who were Isolated due to COVID-19 Infection: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: In their duties, health care workers, especially nurses, have a high risk of being infected with COVID-19 both from patients and non-patients. Some nurses who are infected need to be treated and isolated in the hospital. It is important to understand nurses’ experiences during isolation as this could change the way they provide nursing care for COVID-19 patients in the future. However, this topic has not been studied in Indonesia.Purpose: This study aimed to explore the experience of nurses who were isolated in the hospital due to COVID-19 infection.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a descriptive phenomenological approach. The participants were nurses who had been hospitalized in an isolation room, selected through purposive sampling. Data saturation was reached on the 7th participant, and a total of 7 nurses who were infected with COVID-19 participated. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method.Results: Data analysis resulted in three main themes: (1) Experience at diagnosis (Pre-isolation), with sub-themes: initial reaction, source/origin of infection, early symptoms, and reactions from family and close people; (2) Experiences during isolation, with sub-themes: Feelings in isolation rooms, body reactions to covid-19 therapy, medical response and swab results; and (3) Post-isolation experiences, with sub-themes: post-covid conditions, expectations for other covid patients, and expectations for medical personnel.Conclusion: This study identified nurses’ experience of COVID-19 pre-isolation, isolation and post-isolation. Support from family members, colleagues and leaders are essential for their healing process. Appropriate care planning and approaches are expected to support nurses infected with COVID-19.

Experiences and perspectives of nurses infected with COVID‐19: A qualitative systematic review and meta‐synthesis

“…Table 2 summarizes the included studies conducted mainly in China ( K = 6) (Chun et al, 2021; Dou et al, 2021; He et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021), Turkey ( K = 4) (Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022), Iran ( K = 2) (Safiri et al, 2022; Shali et al, 2022), Italy ( K = 2) (Piredda et al, 2022; Simeone et al, 2022), Zimbabwe ( K = 1) (Moyo et al, 2022), Indonesia ( K = 1) (Siagian & Rantung, 2022), and the United Arab Emirates ( K = 1) (Khaled et al, 2022) between 2021 and 2022. These seventeen studies involved 271 nurses, predominantly female, and covered a wide age range.…”

“…Furthermore, phenomenology ( K = 10) (Chun et al, 2021; Dou et al, 2021; He et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Khaled et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Moyo et al, 2022; Piredda et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022; Simeone et al, 2022) and descriptive qualitative research ( K = 7) (Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Safiri et al, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Shali et al, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021) were the primary methodological approaches employed. Data collection methods included semi‐structured interviews ( K = 16) (Chun et al, 2021; Dou et al, 2021; He et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Khaled et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Moyo et al, 2022; Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Safiri et al, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Shali et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022; Simeone et al, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021), individual interviews ( K = 1) (Piredda et al, 2022), and focus group interviews ( K = 1) (Piredda et al, 2022), with many conducted remotely due to pandemic restrictions. Various data analysis methods were used, such as content analysis ( K = 5) (Dou et al, 2021; Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Safiri et al, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Shali et al, 2022), thematic analysis ( K = 4) (Khaled et al, 2022; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021), and Colaizzi's Seven‐step analysis ( K = 4) (Chun et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022).…”

“…Data collection methods included semi‐structured interviews ( K = 16) (Chun et al, 2021; Dou et al, 2021; He et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Khaled et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Moyo et al, 2022; Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Safiri et al, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Shali et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022; Simeone et al, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021), individual interviews ( K = 1) (Piredda et al, 2022), and focus group interviews ( K = 1) (Piredda et al, 2022), with many conducted remotely due to pandemic restrictions. Various data analysis methods were used, such as content analysis ( K = 5) (Dou et al, 2021; Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Safiri et al, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Shali et al, 2022), thematic analysis ( K = 4) (Khaled et al, 2022; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021), and Colaizzi's Seven‐step analysis ( K = 4) (Chun et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022).…”

“…This theme delves into the emotional experiences of nurses when testing positive for COVID‐19 (He et al, 2021; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022; Simeone et al, 2022), during quarantine and therapy (Chun et al, 2021; Dou et al, 2021; He et al, 2021; Khaled et al, 2022; Luo et al, 2022; Moyo et al, 2022; Özlük & Bikmaz, 2021; Piredda et al, 2022; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022; Safiri et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022; Simeone et al, 2022; Topdemir et al, 2022), and after recovery (Dou et al, 2021; Ruveyde & Bulut, 2022). It encompasses a wide range of emotions such as disbelief, shock, sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, and confusion, often accompanied by psychological stress.…”

“…This theme captures the nurses' journey of adjustment and recovery after the infection. It involves stages of stress, adjustment, and recovery (Chun et al, 2021; He et al, 2021; Jiang et al, 2022; Safiri et al, 2022; Savas et al, 2022; Siagian & Rantung, 2022), where nurses employ coping strategies and develop resilience. It also highlights the challenges faced upon returning to work (Safiri et al, 2022; Zhang et al, 2021), including changes in work conditions and standards, necessitating support and accommodations from healthcare organizations.…”